Social Security is a critical issue for voters in key US Senate elections: What the poll says | Today’s news
Social Security has emerged as a top issue among voters in several hotly contested U.S. Senate elections, with large majorities saying they are more likely to support candidates who offer a plan to prevent future benefit cuts, according to a new poll by the Peter G. Peterson Foundation.
The poll included 2,500 registered voters in five states — Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio and Texas — where Senate elections are closely watched. It found that voters generally want lawmakers to address Social Security’s long-term finances rather than avoid the issue.
Here’s what the poll found and why Social Security is becoming an important issue in the 2026 Senate race.
Why is Social Security a problem?
Social Security provides retirement, disability and survivor benefits to millions of Americans. However, its finances face a long-term imbalance between incoming income and planned benefits.
The program’s primary retirement trust fund is projected to be depleted in 2032, according to a 2026 report by the Social Security Administration.
Unless Congress changes the law by then, Social Security would not simply stop paying benefits. Instead, payments would be limited to revenues available to the program. A Peterson Foundation survey describes this as an immediate 22% reduction in benefits for beneficiaries.
The projected shortfall has made Social Security a politically significant issue because senators elected in 2026 could still be in office when the trust fund reaches its scheduled depletion date.
What did the survey find?
The poll found that 81% of voters said they would be more likely to support a candidate who has a plan to prevent automatic cuts to Social Security benefits.
The findings suggest that simply promising to keep the program unchanged was less popular among voters polled than offering a plan to address the perceived funding problem.
Do voters want Congress to act?
Yes, according to the survey.
77% said lawmakers promising not to touch Social Security are making the problem worse, and agreed that delaying action makes it harder to fix the problem.
85% said it is more important than ever for lawmakers to fix Social Security.
88% said current lawmakers should be more vocal about the program’s financial problems.
91% said they supported welfare reforms.
The Peterson Foundation said a majority across party lines support the potential reforms.
Read also | Social Security payment September 16: Who gets paid and what to know
Why do five states matter?
The poll focused on Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio and Texas, all of which have competitive Senate races, according to the foundation.
The Senate plays a central role in deciding whether Social Security legislation can pass Congress. As a result, the candidates’ positions in those races could become relevant to the debate over the program’s future.
How was the survey conducted?
The online poll was jointly conducted by Global Strategy Group, a Democratic polling firm, and North Star Opinion Research, a Republican polling firm.
2,500 registered voters took part in the poll:
North Carolina – 500 electors
The survey was conducted from August 20 to August 27, 2026 and has a reported margin of error of ±4.4 percentage points.
Read also | US Interim Polls 2026: How They Could Affect Taxes, Social Security, Retirement
